Refrigerator-crate



(No Model.)

E. S. THOMAS. REFRIGERATOR CRATE.

No. 435.953I Patented Sept. 9, 1890.

"Ill

'Will t @wth/wow 1UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ENOCH S. THOMAS, OF STARKE, FLORIDA.

REFRIGERAToR-CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 435,953, datedSeptember 9, 1890.

Application led April 21, 1890.

To all whom it may con/cern:

Be it known that I, ENoCH S. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Starke,

in the county of Bradford, State of Florida,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRefrigerator-Crates, of which the following is aspecification, referencebein g had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a refrigerator for the transportation ofperishable fruit; and the objects of my improvement are to provide asimple transportable refrigerator-box adapted to prevent for aconsiderable period of time the perishing of fruit contained therein andwhile the same is being transported, said box being adapted for thereception of layers of ordinary fruitboxes in connection with a verticaland a superimposed ice-tank. I attain these objects by the constructionhereinafter described, and shown in the acoompanying drawings, in Which-Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a refrigeratorconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a transversevertical section of the same through the center thereof. Fig. 3 is aperspective view of the vertical icereceiving box. Fig. 4 is aperspective view of the ice-support removed from the vertical ice-box.

Inv said drawings, A represents the sides, B the bottom, and C thecover, of the refrigerator, the sides and bottom forming a rectangularbox of suitable size, said sides being reenforced at the bottom withhorizontal cleats a. The bottom is also provided with cleats l), whichkeep it elevated above its supports or the floor and permit the freeescape of the Water resulting from the melting of the ice in therefrigerator, said Water being first received in a shallow rectangularpan D, secured upon the bottom B inthe middle portion thereof. Anelongated perforation d is made in the bottom of the panfor the escapeof water therethrough, and the edges of said perforation are iiangedoutwardly under the bottom B, to secure the pan to said bottom. Tonearly prevent the escape of air through the perforation d a sponge d2is made to t tightly in or against said perforation by means of a cordorwire d3, passing over it and having its ends secured to the under sideof the bottom B; and to prevent the ice placed in the vertical ice-re-Serial No. 348,845. (No model.)

ceiving box E from resting upon the fibrous material or sponge d2 andsocompressing it in the perforation d as to clog 'the latter, asupporting-stoolG for said icehas its top over said sponge, the legs ofsaid stool resting upon the bottom of pan D.

To prevent the dampness produced by the melting ice from reaching theinterior Wood surface of the box, and to render the refrigeratorsubstantially air-tight, it is lined with non-absorbent or waxed paperp, which is retained inl position by cleats P tacked to said interiorsurface, said cleats also keeping the fruit-boxes from the sidesof therefrigerator and forming passages between them for the ascent of thewarm air and to lead it into the ice-tank H, Where it comes in cont-actwith the ice therein, is cooled, and descends in the vertical ice-box E,where it is additionally refrigerated and escapes between the bottom ofsaid ice-box and the pan D into the interior of the refrigerator,as theice-box E is of less width than the pan D and its bottom is keptslightly elevated above the bottom of said pan by thedownwardly-projecting ends e of the ice-box resting upon said bottom.

The vertical ice-box E can be inserted in proper position, with itsbottom resting in the pan D, preferably, before the introduction andarrangement of the fruit boxes or baskets Kin superposed layers, asshown in one half of the refrigerator in Fig. l, said baskets being madeto rest upon thin boards or strips of wood 7n that are placed on top ofthe under layer. Vhen the refrigerator has been filled with fruitbasketsto nearly the height of the top of the vertical ice-box E, adividing-strip is placed -on top of the baskets, and over this is placeda thin covering of wood or other material, to prevent the warm ascendingair from coming in contact With the bottom of the ice-tray H, which mayotherwise cause sweating and water-dripping. Said tray or tank H is madeto rest upon the upper edge of the box E, and may have its endsaddition-A ally supported by the wood-covered fruitbaskets, as it isdesirable that the Whole contents should be retained vimmovable Whilebeing transported. The tank H nearly ills the Whole space between thecleated sides in the refrigerator above the fruit-baskets, and t0 steadythe upper end of the ice-box E and IOO direct in said box the Waterresulting from the ice .melting in the tank, said tank H has a shortpendent rectangular funnel h that enters and ts within the upper end ofthe ice-box E. Th e refrigerator having been filled with fruit-boxes andthe ice-box and tank placed in position, said ice-box and tank are thenlled with ice, and the cover C, which does not quite rest upon theice-tank, is secured in position either by means of hinges andhasps,which can be locked, or with screws, so that it can be openedwithout damaging it. To have the interior of the, refrigerator as nearlyair-tight as possible a yielding strip, of rubber or of felt f, issecured upon the top edge of the sides A or of the cleats F, betweenthem and the cover, said cleats F constituting a ledge which permits theeasy lifting or handling of the refrigerator without overturning it.

Having now fully described my invention, I elaiml. The combination ofthe frame of a re frigerator, having vertical cleats thereon, aperforated pan secured to the bottom of said frame, a vertical ice-boxresting in said pan and having passages between the lower end of thevertical ice-box and the pan, and a horizontal ice-tank having a funnelin the bottom thereof received in the top of the vertical ice-boX,substantially as described.

2. The combination of the frame of a refrigerator, a perforated pansecured to the bottom of said frame, a sponge secured in the perforationof said pan, an ice-supporting stool above said sponge, and a verticaliceboX having downwardly-pr0jeeting ends e resting in the pan, saidvertical ice-box inclosing said sponge and stool, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ENOCH S. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

M. C. LEVY, R. C. HEIBERGER.

